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I keep insisting that Hispanics are not at all like blacks, and many actively resist being part of a monolithic bloc.

Ethnic Mexicans have some incredible reasons for this, that few white Americans are familiar with.

1) At the start of the 19th Century, Mexico had a divisive, savage civil war, in which either side would butcher everyone who was associated with the other side. This was repeated, and amplified, at the start of the 20th Century, including what amounted to genocide. So anyone completely committed to any political block is seen as dangerous.

2) Ethnically, about the time of their second civil war, the official, legal difference between Mexicans and Indians was simply that “Mexicans wore shoes”. But this changed to a ridiculously complicated description of almost 50 ethnic groups and blends, which appeared on identity papers. These included mixes like “Chinese-black-Indian” as a separate group. Every other country in central America and northern South America has very different ethnic blends.

3) While Spanish is the official language, there are still some 68 Indian languages spoken in Mexico, of which 15 or 16 have over 100,000 speakers. Parts of Mexico have very few Spanish speakers, except at the Pemex gas station, where it is required.

4) In southern Mexico, there are still bitter brawls between Catholics and Protestants.

5) Hispanics from different countries almost never marry those from other Hispanic countries. They will marry whites, blacks, Orientals, etc. They also tend to segregate by country in the US.

So, the positive bottom line is that Hispanics in the US need a far different approach from blacks.

To start with, as an issue, Hispanics cover the gamut of opinions. Many are strongly opposed to illegal aliens.

However, at the same time, they strongly resent those who mistreat them ethnically. If a politician promises them something, they had better deliver, or Hispanics will not vote for them again.

Republicans have the best chance of approaching Hispanics not by pretending to be liberals, but by offering Hispanics a fair shake, and an alternative to liberalism.